Equality Information and Tenant SatisfactionAdam Payne, ARP Research11 October 2012

Outline

• What is STAR?

• STAR equality data

• Using STAR data in relation to equality

• Where to get more info?

What is STAR?

What is STAR?

• STAR = Survey of Tenants And Residents

• Flexible approach to surveying tenants & residents, within certain constraints

• Allows social landlords to compare satisfaction

• Guidance is free of charge• Available to all

Build your own survey• Starting point is the core satisfaction and demographic

questions

• Seven core satisfaction questions covering:• Overall satisfaction

• Quality of home

• Neighbourhood

• Repairs and maintenance

• Listening to views and acting on them

• Value for money provided by rent

• Value for money provided by service charge

Build your own survey

• Core questions are basis for comparisons using HouseMark benchmarking

• Optional Housemark Resident Involvement benchmarking includes comparisons by age, ethnic group and disability

• Add to the core questions with:• Set optional questions from STAR

questions• Your own questions

STAR in Wales

• Core questions allow comparisons across Wales or UK wide

• Wales section of STAR questions contains questions related to Welsh regulatory delivery outcomes

• STAR in Wales questions can be compared through Housemark’s PI Tracking

STAR Equality data

STAR equality data

• Standard demographic questions based upon the census:• Exact age for every household member• Gender for every household member• Day to day activities of a household member limited because of

a health problem (aligned to DDA definition)• Sexual orientation• Ethnic group of tenant (and partner)• Religion

Combining existing data with STAR

• Good quality tenant profile data can be linked to satisfaction data without asking again

• STAR surveys are usually confidential survey research which has a specific data protection category

• Personally identifiable data (e.g. name and address) must be removed at the earliest point in the process

• Running profiling and surveys as one combined exercise is not recommended

Survey methods - inclusivity

• As long as it’s statistically robust and representative, STAR can be done by:• Post

• Telephone

• Face-to-face

• Online (as a supplement)

• It is important to make your survey accessible so include:• Options to complete in another language

• Options for those with impaired sight

• Individual contact with vulnerable residents

• Top ups to target under represented groups

Using STAR data in relation to equality

Descriptive data• In the absence of other profiling data, can provide an

indication of demographic make up

• However, typical 40-50% response rate means this is no substitute for full profiling

• Can ask specific questions regarding improvements (e.g. adaptations, support needs, contact preferences)

Cross tabulations• Explore key questions by equality groups to

identify differences in satisfaction

Compare priorities to satisfaction

Disability

In top 3 priorities

Sat

isfa

ctio

n

Repairs

Listen to views

Neighbourhood

Value for money

Quality of home

Kept informed

No disability

In top 3 priorities

Sat

isfa

ctio

n

Repairs

Listen to views

Neighbourhood

Value for money

Quality of home

Kept informed

Further insight

• A key driver analysis (regression) can identify factors most associated with overall satisfaction for different equality groups

Common errors• Be aware of small sample sizes!

• Calculate error margin of results• Test for statistical significance

• Look at all points on the scale• Be aware of confounding variables:

Overall satisfaction by religion Overall satisfaction by religion & age

Age Christian Other

Up to 34 64% 66%

35 – 59 75% 74%

60+ 86% 82%

Explore further

• Many of your results will not be statistically significant, but may still point you in the right direction

• Other results will tell you what, but not why!

• Follow up with detailed surveys, focus groups or simple one-to-one conversations

• Utilise other evidence and sources of knowledge within the organisation

Where to get more information

Guidance documents

• STAR features: outlines the framework

• STAR questions: full listing of core, optional and demographic questions

• Running STAR: detailed guidance on how to carry out a survey

• Also available:• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)• List of Suppliers• Sign up to email alerts for changes

Contacts

vicki.howe@housemark.co.uk

HouseMark office: 02476 460500

Mobile: 07903 142339

Twitter: @Vicki_HouseMark

adam.payne@arp-research.co.uk

ARP Research Office: 0844 272 6004

Mobile: 07550 010 560